Support frame and image capturing device

ABSTRACT

A support frame adapted for containing a first lens and a second lens, and the support frame includes a body and a first extension bottom wall. The body has a first opening penetrating through the body, a second opening penetrating through the body, a first annular side wall surrounding the first opening, and a second annular side wall surrounding the second opening. The first lens and the second lens are respectively disposed in the first opening and the second opening. The first extension bottom wall integratedly extends from an inner side of the first annular side wall. When the first lens is disposed in the first opening, the first lens is located on the first extension bottom wall. The first extension bottom wall has a first through hole. The first lens corresponds to the first through hole. An image capturing device is further provided.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/551,203, filed on Aug. 28, 2017. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The invention relates to a support frame and an image capturing device. More particularly, the invention relates to a support frame featuring favorable structural strength and an image capturing device having the support frame.

Description of Related Art

Along with technology advancement, demand for image capturing devices grows day by day. In an image capturing device, a carrier carrying a lens module is constituted by a frame body and a carrying base located at a bottom portion of the frame body most of the time. Nevertheless, the frame body and the carrying base are bonded to each other through adhesive glue. When being applied by an external force, the bonded frame body and the carrying base may be easily deformed owning to insufficient stiffness. Further, alignment tolerance between the bonded frame body and the carrying base is often generated owing to the process and materials of the two, as such, it is difficult to increase the yield of the image capturing device using the carrier.

SUMMARY

The invention provides a support frame featuring favorable structural strength.

The invention further provides an image capturing device having the support frame so that the image capturing device having the support frame may generate less tolerance and that yield of the image capturing device is increased.

A support frame in an embodiment of the invention is adapted for containing a first lens and a second lens, and the support frame includes a body and a first extension bottom wall. The body has a first opening penetrating through the body, a second opening penetrating through the body, a first annular side wall surrounding the first opening, and a second annular side wall surrounding the second opening. The first lens and the second lens are respectively disposed in the first opening and the second opening. The first extension bottom wall integratedly extends from an inner side of the first annular side wall. When the first lens is disposed in the first opening, the first lens is located on the first extension bottom wall. The first extension bottom wall has a first through hole. The first lens corresponds to the first through hole.

An image capturing device in an embodiment of the invention includes a first lens, a second lens, a support frame, a first sensor, and a second sensor. The support frame includes a body and a first extension bottom wall. The body has a first opening penetrating through the body, a second opening penetrating through the body, a first annular side wall surrounding the first opening, and a second annular side wall surrounding the second opening. The first lens and the second lens are respectively disposed in the first opening and the second opening. The first extension bottom wall integratedly extends from an inner side of the first annular side wall. The first extension bottom wall has a first through hole, and the first lens corresponds to the first through hole. The first sensor and the first lens are located at two opposite sides of the first extension bottom wall. The first sensor is aligned with the first through hole and an optical axis of the first lens. The second sensor is disposed next to the first sensor and is aligned with an optical axis of the second lens.

In an embodiment of the invention, the support frame includes a second extension bottom wall integratedly extending from an inner side of the second annular side wall. The second sensor and the second lens are located at two opposite sides of the second extension bottom wall. The second extension bottom wall has a second through hole. The second sensor is aligned with the second through hole, and the second lens corresponds to the second through hole.

In an embodiment of the invention, the image capturing device further includes a bottom supporting member disposed at the second opening and is connected to the second annular side wall. The second sensor and the second lens are located at two opposite sides of the bottom supporting member. The bottom supporting member has a second through hole. The second sensor is aligned with the second through hole, and the second lens corresponds to the second through hole.

In an embodiment of the invention, a material of the body is identical to a material of the first extension bottom wall.

In an embodiment of the invention, a material of the body is different from a material of the first extension bottom wall.

In an embodiment of the invention, the image capturing device further includes a circuit board, and the first sensor and the second sensor are disposed on the circuit board.

In an embodiment of the invention, the image capturing device further includes two circuit boards separated from each other and located on different planes. The first sensor and the second sensor are respectively disposed on the two circuit boards.

In an embodiment of the invention, the image capturing device further includes a motor assembly located in the second opening, and the motor assembly is coupled to the second lens.

To sum up, the support frame of the image capturing device provided by the invention is constituted by the integrally-formed body and the first extension bottom wall. The body and the first extension bottom wall of the support frame are integrally-formed and thus are not required to be fixed through methods such as adhesive bonding. Therefore, the support frame may feature greater structural strength, favorable stiffness against bending and deformation, and less tolerance.

To make the aforementioned more comprehensible, several embodiments accompanied with drawings are described in detail as follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an image capturing device according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the image capturing device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the image capturing device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the motor assembly from another view angle.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the support frame from another view angle.

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image capturing device according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a support frame according to another embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an image capturing device according to an embodiment of the invention.

With reference to FIG. 1, in this embodiment, an image capturing device 10 includes a first lens 100, a second lens 200, a support frame 300, and a motor assembly 600 b. The first lens 100, the second lens 200, and the motor assembly 600 b are adapted to be disposed in openings of the support frame 300 in this embodiment. The motor assembly 600 b is adapted to drive the second lens 200 to a specific position. In this embodiment, the image capturing device 10 is exemplified as an image capturing device with dual lenses and thereby includes two lenses. The first lens 100 is, for example, a fixed-focus lens, and the second lens 200 is, for example, a variable-focus lens, but the invention is not limited in this regard. In an embodiment that is not shown, the image capturing device may also be an image capturing device having a single lens or having three or more lenses, and a number of the openings of the support frame corresponds to a number of the lenses. In other words, in other embodiments, the support frame may have one single opening or may have three or more openings. In the case of plural openings, these openings may be disposed along a same straight line, or these openings may be arranged in a matrix (e.g., two of the four openings may be arranged in parallel to the other two openings). The number of the lenses, the number of the openings of the support frame, and arrangement of the openings of the image capturing device may be arranged according to needs, which is not particularly limited by the invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the image capturing device of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the image capturing device of FIG. 1. With reference to FIG. 2 to FIG. 3, a structure of the support frame 300 is described in detail below, and the support frame 300 includes a body 310 and a first extension bottom wall 320. The body 310 has a first opening 312 penetrating through the body 310, a second opening 314 penetrating through the body 310, a first annular side wall 316 surrounding the first opening 312, and a second annular side wall 318 surrounding the second opening 314. The first lens 100 and the second lens 200 are respectively disposed in the first opening 312 and the second opening 314. Further, the first annular side wall 316 and the second annular side wall 318 are respectively located next to a side surface of the first lens 100 and a side surface of the second lens 200. In this embodiment, the first annular side wall 316 is depicted as a circle, and the second annular side wall 318 is depicted as a rectangle; nevertheless, shapes of the first annular side wall 316 and the second annular side wall 318 are not limited in the invention.

The first extension bottom wall 320 integratedly extends from an inner side of the first annular side wall 316. When the first lens 100 is disposed in the first opening 312, the first lens 100 is located on the first extension bottom wall 320. Further, the first extension bottom wall 320 has a first through hole 322, and the first lens 100 corresponds to the first through hole 322. In the related art, a frame body and carrying bases carrying lenses are adhesively bonded, and in this way, the carrying bases are prone to be easily deformed when being applied by a force from the lenses or from an external force. In the embodiment, the first extension bottom wall 320 bears a force from the first lens 100, and since the body 310 and the first extension bottom wall 320 are integrally formed, the body 310 and the extension bottom wall 320 are less susceptible to be easily deformed when being applied by a force or are less susceptible to be separated from each other owning to insufficient adhesion provided by glue.

In this embodiment, the support frame 300 further includes a second extension bottom wall 330, and the second extension bottom wall 330 integratedly extends from an inner side of the second annular side wall 318. When the second lens 200 is disposed in the second opening 314, the second lens 200 is located on the second extension bottom wall 320. Further, the second extension bottom wall 320 has a second through hole 332, and the second lens 200 corresponds to the second through hole 332. In the design of the related art, the frame body and the carrying bases located at a bottom portion of the frame body respectively are, for example, the body 310 and the first extension bottom wall 320 and the second extension bottom wall 330 of the embodiment. Since the frame body and the carrying bases in the related art are adhesively bonded, the frame body and the carrying bases are prone to be easily deformed when being applied by an external force. In the support frame 300 provided by this embodiment, since the first extension bottom wall 320, the second extension bottom wall 330, and the body 310 are designed to be integrally formed, structural strength of the support frame 300 is effectively increased and stiffness against bending is enhanced.

Specifically, when the first annular side wall 316 or the second annular side wall 318 bears an external flipping force, since the first extension bottom wall 320, the second extension bottom wall 330, and the body 310 in the support frame 300 of this embodiment are integrally formed, an overall mass of the support frame 300 is increased and the support frame 300 is less susceptible to be bent and deformed. Further, the first annular side wall 316 or the second annular side wall 318 is supported by the first extension bottom wall 320 and the second extension bottom wall 330, so that the first annular side wall 316 or the second annular side wall 318 is less susceptible to be twisted and deformed when being applied by an external bending force. Further, since an adhesive-bonding process is not required to be performed on the first extension bottom wall 320, the second extension bottom wall 330, and the body 310 in the support frame 300, an alignment tolerance of the first extension bottom wall 320 and the second extension bottom wall 330 with respect to the body 310 is decreased. In addition, the first extension bottom wall 320, the second extension bottom wall 330, and the body 310 are not to be separated owning to insufficient adhesion provided by glue.

Note that a material of the body 310 is, for example, metal or plastic, and the material of the body 310 may be identical to a material of the first extension bottom wall 320. Since the body 310 and the first extension bottom wall 320 are made of the same material, the manufacturing steps of the body 310 and the first extension bottom wall 320 are simplified. Certainly, in other embodiments, the material of the body 310 may be different from the material of the first extension bottom wall 320. For instance, an insert molding process may be applied to the body 310 made of metal and the first extension bottom wall 320 made of plastic, so as to enable the body 310 and the first extension bottom wall 320 to be integrally formed.

In short, since the body 310, the first extension bottom wall 320, and the second extension bottom wall 330 in the support frame 300 of this embodiment are integrally formed, an alignment error does not exist between the body 310 and the first extension bottom wall 320 nor between the body 310 and the second extension bottom wall 330. Besides, since the body 310, the first extension bottom wall 320, and the second extension bottom wall 330 are designed to be integrally formed, so that the overall mass of the support frame 300 is increased. Further, the body 310 is supported by the first extension bottom wall 320 and the second extension bottom wall 330, so the body 310 is less susceptible to be bent and deformed.

In this embodiment, the image capturing device 10 further includes a first sensor 400 and a second sensor 500. The first sensor 400 and the second sensor 500 are, for example, complementary metal oxide semiconductor (COMS) image sensors or charge coupled devices (CCDs). The first sensor 400 and the first lens 100 are located at two opposite sides of the first extension bottom wall 320. The first sensor 400 is aligned with the first through hole 322 and an optical axis of the first lens 100.

In addition, the second sensor 500 and the second lens 200 are located at two opposite sides of the second extension bottom wall 330. The second extension bottom wall 330 has the second through hole 332, and the second lens 200 corresponds to the second through hole 332. Further, the second sensor 500 is aligned with the second through hole 332 and an optical axis of the second lens 200. That is, the second sensor 500 and the second lens 200 are aligned with the second through hole 332. A first filter element F1 is disposed between the first lens 100 and the first sensor 400, and a second filter element F2 is disposed between the second lens 200 and the second sensor 500. The first filter element F1 and the second filter element F2 are, for example, infrared cut-off filters, polarizing plates, or other suitable optical films. After light enters the first lens 100 and the second lens 200 and respectively penetrates through the first through hole 322 and the second through hole 332 and then through the first filter element F1 and the second filter element F2, the light is respectively focused on the first sensor 400 and the second sensor 500.

In addition, in this embodiment, the motor assembly 600 b is coupled to the second lens 200 to drive elements in the second lens 200 to move, so as to achieve a zooming effect and capture a required imaged required for a user. In this embodiment, the image capturing device 10 further includes two circuit boards 700. The two circuit boards 700 are separated from each other and located on different planes, and the first sensor 400 and the second sensor 500 are respectively disposed on the two circuit boards 700. The two circuit boards 700 are disposed on the support frame 300 in a separating manner. Hence, a height of the first annular side wall 316 may be different from a height of the second annular side wall 318, and the height of the first annular side wall 316 and the height of the second annular side wall 318 may be freely designed according to needs.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the motor assembly from another view angle. FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the support frame from another view angle. With reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, in this embodiment, the motor assembly 600 b has two electrical pins 610 configured to be electrically connected to the circuit boards 700. Hence, two vias 334 are designed to be disposed on the second extension bottom wall 330 in the support frame 300, and the two vias 334 are configured to act as a yielding structure of the two electrical pins 610. In this way, the two electrical pins 610 of the motor assembly 600 a may extend from the two vias 334 to be electrically connected to the circuit boards 700.

It should be noted that an image capturing device of other embodiments is provided below for illustration, and identical or similar reference numerals are used to represent identical or similar components, and thus descriptions of identical or similar technical contents are omitted. Please refer to the descriptions of the previous embodiment for the omitted contents, which will not be repeated hereinafter.

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image capturing device according to another embodiment of the invention. With reference to FIG. 6, in this embodiment, an image capturing device 10A includes the abovementioned support frame 300 and a circuit board 700 a, and both the first sensor 400 and the second sensor 500 are disposed on the circuit board 700 a. That is, in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the first sensor 400 and the second sensor 500 of the image capturing device 10 are separately disposed on the two separate circuit boards 700, and such design may be referred to as a separate-board design. In this embodiment, the first sensor 400 and the second sensor 500 are together disposed on the single circuit board 700 a, and such design may be referred to as a board-sharing design. It can be seen from FIG. 3 and FIG. 6 that the integrally-formed support frame 300 can be applied not only to the separate-board design but also the board-sharing design.

In this embodiment, an alignment error is not generated between the first annular side wall 316 and the first extension bottom wall 320 which are designed to be integrally formed nor between the second annular side wall 318 and the second extension bottom wall 330 which are also designed to be integrally formed, so that an assembly tolerance of the overall image capturing device 10A is further decreased. In addition, since the first annular side wall 316 and the first extension bottom wall 320 as well as the second annular side wall 318 and the second extension bottom wall 330 are designed to be integrally formed, the support frame 300 is less susceptible to be bent and deformed.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a support frame according to another embodiment of the invention. FIG. 7 illustrates only the support frame since the rest of the components are assembled in a manner similar to that described in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. With reference to FIG. 7 first, a support frame 300 a of this embodiment has the first annular side wall 316 surrounding the first opening 312, the second annular side wall 318 surrounding the second opening 314, the body 310, and the first extension bottom wall 330 integratedly extending from the inner side of the first annular side wall 316. In this embodiment, the image capturing device 10 further includes a bottom supporting member 800 disposed at the second opening 314 and is adapted to be connected to the second annular side wall 318. The bottom supporting member 800 is configured to carry the second lens 200 (shown in FIG. 2) and the motor assembly 600 b (shown in FIG. 2). In this embodiment, the bottom supporting member 800 may be fixed onto the second annular side wall 318 through methods such as adhesive bonding, and in this way, the second lens 200 can be subsequently assembled onto the bottom supporting member 800. Certainly, the method used to fix the bottom supporting member 800 to the second annular side wall 318 is not limited in this regard. The bottom supporting member 800 has a second through hole 810. The second sensor 500 (shown in FIG. 2) is aligned with the second through hole 810, and the second lens 200 (shown in FIG. 2) corresponds to the second through hole 810. In other words, the second lens 200 and the second sensor 500 are individually aligned with the second through hole 810.

A position where the bottom supporting member 800 is disposed and functions of the bottom supporting member 800 in this embodiment are similar to a position where the second extension bottom wall 318 is disposed and functions of the second extension bottom wall 318 in FIG. 2. A difference therebetween is that the second extension bottom wall 318 integratedly extends from the second annular side wall 318 in FIG. 2, and the bottom supporting member 800 is independent of the second annular side wall 318 and is additionally fixed onto the second annular side wall when being subsequently assembled in this embodiment.

In this embodiment, the first annular side wall 316 and the first extension bottom wall 320 are integrally formed as well; thereby, no alignment error exists therebetween and favorable structural strength is provided between the first annular side wall 316 and the first extension bottom wall 320. In addition, the bottom supporting member 800 is designed to be additionally fixed to the second annular side wall 318, so a manufacturer is allowed to adjust a position where the bottom supporting member 800 is adhesively bonded to the second annular side wall 318, and that flexibility is provided through such design.

In view of the foregoing, in the support frame of the image capturing device provided by an embodiment of the invention, the support frame is constituted by the integrally-formed body, the first extension bottom wall, and the second extension bottom wall. Since the body, the first extension bottom wall, and the second extension bottom wall are not required to be adhesively bonded to one another, the support frame features greater structural strength, and that stiffness of the support frame against bending and deformation is enhanced. Further, the alignment tolerance is lowered since the support frame is integrally-formed. Therefore, the process is simplified, the manufacturing costs are saved, and moreover, a defective rate of the image capturing device is lowered thanks to decreased assembly tolerance. In another embodiment, the support frame is constituted by the integrally-formed body and the first extension bottom wall, and the bottom supporting member may be disposed at a required position required by the user before being adhesively bonded. The body and the first extension bottom wall of the support frame are integrally formed. Therefore, the support frame not only features sufficient stiffness against bending and deformation but also includes the bottom supporting member of which the position of the bottom supporting member can be adjusted according to needs before adhesive bonding is applied, so as to satisfy different needs from the user.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the disclosure covers modifications and variations provided that they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A support frame, adapted for containing a first lens and a second lens, the support frame comprising: a body, having a first opening penetrating through the body, a second opening penetrating through the body, a first annular side wall surrounding the first opening, and a second annular side wall surrounding the second opening, wherein the first lens and the second lens are respectively disposed in the first opening and the second opening; and a first extension bottom wall, integratedly extending from an inner side of the first annular side wall, the first lens being located on the first extension bottom wall when the first lens is disposed in the first opening, the first extension bottom wall having a first through hole, the first lens corresponding to the first through hole.
 2. The support frame as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a second extension bottom wall, integratedly extending from an inner side of the second annular side wall, the second lens being located on the second extension bottom wall when the second lens is disposed in the second opening, the second extension bottom wall having a second through hole, the second lens corresponding to the second through hole.
 3. The support frame as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a bottom supporting member, disposed at the second opening, connected to the second annular side wall, the second lens being located on the bottom supporting member when the second lens is disposed in the second opening, the bottom supporting member having a second through hole, the second lens corresponding to the second through hole.
 4. The support frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein a material of the body is identical to a material of the first extension bottom wall.
 5. The support frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein a material of the body is different from a material of the first extension bottom wall.
 6. An image capturing device, comprising: a first lens; a second lens; a support frame, comprising a body, having a first opening penetrating through the body, a second opening penetrating through the body, a first annular side wall surrounding the first opening, and a second annular side wall surrounding the second opening, wherein the first lens and the second lens are respectively disposed in the first opening and the second opening; and a first extension bottom wall, integratedly extending from an inner side of the first annular side wall, the first extension bottom wall having a first through hole, the first lens corresponding to the first through hole; a first sensor, the first sensor and the first lens being located at two opposite sides of the first extension bottom wall, the first sensor being aligned with the first through hole and an optical axis of the first lens; and a second sensor, disposed next to the first sensor, aligned with an optical axis of the second lens.
 7. The image capturing device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the support frame comprises: a second extension bottom wall, integratedly extending from an inner side of the second annular side wall, the second sensor and the second lens being located at two opposite sides of the second extension bottom wall, the second extension bottom wall having a second through hole, the second sensor being aligned with the second through hole, the second lens corresponding to the second through hole.
 8. The image capturing device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the support frame comprises: a bottom supporting member, disposed at the second opening, connected to the second annular side wall, the second sensor and the second lens are located at two opposite sides of the bottom supporting member, the bottom supporting member has a second through hole, the second sensor being aligned with the second through hole, the second lens corresponding to the second through hole.
 9. The image capturing device as claimed in claim 6, wherein a material of the body is identical to a material of the first extension bottom wall.
 10. The image capturing device as claimed in claim 6, wherein a material of the body is different from a material of the first extension bottom wall.
 11. The image capturing device as claimed in claim 6, further comprising: a circuit board, the first sensor and the second sensor being disposed on the circuit board.
 12. The image capturing device as claimed in claim 6, further comprising: two circuit boards, separated from each other, located on different planes, the first sensor and the second sensor being respectively disposed on the two circuit boards.
 13. The image capturing device as claimed in claim 6, further comprising: a motor assembly, located in the second opening, the motor assembly being coupled to the second lens. 